We’re writing to you in light of the University’s recent announcement regarding the introduction of a Voluntary Severance (VS) Scheme.
Hello everyone,
We’re writing to you in light of the University’s recent announcement regarding the introduction of a Voluntary Severance (VS) Scheme.
Across the Higher Education Sector, the financial picture is extremely challenging. As you may have already seen in the University's statement, Royal Holloway is working to ensure longer term financial sustainability and the voluntary severance scheme is part of this work.
We completely acknowledge and share your concerns on how this may impact the student experience. We recently met with University Senior Leadership to express our concerns and have been provided with assurances on the mitigations that will be put in place to ensure there is minimal disruption to you and your learning.
We have been assured that colleagues delivering front-line, student-facing services will be protected. Where voluntary severance is accepted, steps will be taken to ensure that service standards are maintained and that teaching, and student support are not adversely affected.
We will continue to have an open and ongoing dialogue with the University throughout this process to ensure that the student voice is heard and that any impact is carefully managed. Your student experience and wellbeing remain our top priority, and we will continue to advocate for you at every turn.
We understand that this may be an unsettling time, and it’s completely natural to feel stressed or anxious about how these changes might affect you. Please remember that support is available. If you’re feeling concerned or overwhelmed, we encourage you to reach out to the Wellbeing team at wellbeing@rhul.ac.uk - they’re here to help.
For more information about the Voluntary Severance scheme and what it might mean for students, a dedicated FAQ section is now available on the Student Intranet. This will be kept up to date and should help answer many of your questions.
All Best,
RHSU Sabbatical Officer Team 2024/25
Sharanya Sivarajah, President
Madelaine Gray, Vice President Education
Olivia Davies, Vice President Wellbeing and Diversity
Bana Asqalan, Vice President Societies and Sport